Page 44 of The Contractor's Rose
He snorted, lifting his glass. “Good thing we’re past the age of being ruled by our hormones and bad decisions.”
I let out a dry chuckle, raising the lukewarm beer still sitting in front of me.
“Yeah,” I said. “Good thing.”
But all I could think about was the woman in that green satin dress across the bar.
And how quickly I could get her out of it.
TWENTY-FOUR
ROSEMARIE
I tipped backthe rest of my drink in one long swallow, relishing the burn that settled low in my belly. Not from the alcohol so much as from the lingering sting of Gavin’s voice in my ear, from the hand he’d pressed to my hip and the thought of what was to come.
I set the empty glass down harder than I meant to. By the time I could catch my breath, he was gone. Disappeared into the crowd like a shadow. My gaze snapped in the direction he walked, scanning every broad back and flexing forearm in the room.
God, it was a tragedy I didn’t watch him walk away. I missed the way those jeans molded to his thick thighs and perfectly taut ass.
And then the thought slammed into me like a wave of cold water:
My father.
Gavin had walked back to sit down with my father.
The heat between my legs went cold in an instant, replaced with rising panic. Had Dad seen him with me? Hadhe recognized the way Gavin had looked at me—or the way I’d looked right back? My eyes darted wildly across the room, brushing over every corner and every occupied booth I could see. No sign of him. No sign of either of them.
A shaky breath escaped me as I leaned toward Elodie and pulled my phone from the back pocket of her leather skirt. Brushing my hand over her shoulder, she peeled herself away from the bartender long enough to glance at me.
“Hey,” I said, tucking a curl behind my ear, doing my best to sound casual. “I’m gonna run to the restroom for a second. Will you order me a water from the pretty girl you’re drooling over while I’m gone?”
Elodie smirked. “You sure you don’t want me to come with?” she asked, brushing a dark strand of hair from her bare shoulder.
I waved her off with a quick smile. “Nah. I’ll be quick.”
“Okay.” She grinned, leaning closer to whisper. “Just don’t do anything too scandalous in there. Don’t think because I’ve been looking at bartender babe since we walked in that I didn’t notice Mr. Tall Salt-and-pepper DILF come over a moment ago.”
“Ha-ha,” I quipped, brushing past her and heading toward the hallway marked by a faintly glowing sign readingRestrooms.
The hallway narrowed, darker and quieter than the rest of the club, faint thumps of bass reverberating through the walls. The floor here was slightly worn, scuffed from countless high heels and soles. My palm found the rough surface of the wall for balance as I made my way down, brushing my fingers along exposed brick that felt almost grainy. The air smelled faintly of expensive perfume and a hint of smoke that no air freshener could cover.
The door to the ladies’ room gave as I pressed it open, and suddenly?—
“Umph!”
I stumbled as I walked straight into someone, bouncing backward like I’d hit a cement wall.
Except it wasn’t cement.
It was Teagan.
She gave me a once-over like she could somehow read every guilty thought swirling in my head, one hand propped on a hip that might as well be made for judgment.
“Watch where you’re going,” she snapped, brushing an imaginary speck of dust from the front of her leather jacket.
“Sorry,” I said quickly, brushing down the side of my dress. “I didn’t mean to run into you.”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “What are you doing here? Thought you always said you weren’t much of aclubperson.”
